Month: May 2018

Shaquem doesn’t talk any trash, instead sipping from a Big Gulp-sized cup of lemonade and taking a seat to relax.

Life is good as America’s sweetheart.

Every day, he’s doing something for the first time: attending a hockey game, sitting courtside at a basketball game, kicking it with Hulk Hogan and Charlie Sheen and Dennis Rodman earlier on this day. NFL Twitter nearly spontaneously combusted when Griffin ran that 4.38 in the 40-yard dash—the likes of J.J. Watt, Deion Sanders and Ryan Shazier all showering him with love.

In addition to Bird, the Yankees are slowly learning more about injured third baseman Brandon Drury, too. Drury is awaiting the results of the extensive testing he underwent to his head, brain and body last week after going on the 10-day disabled list April 7 with migraines and blurred vision.

Drury told reporters Monday that he was put on a cycle of anti-inflammatory medication. His migraine specialist believes that will help relieve some of that pressure and tension that is causing the blurred vision.

C) Yes, it’s risky taking a quarterback early. But it’s also risky not taking a quarterback early. The Raiders messed up big time picking JaMarcus Russell in a 2007 NFL Draft that saw Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, and Adrian Peterson go in the next six picks. But they also messed up three years earlier by taking Robert Gallery instead of Philip Rivers.

So yes, it wouldn’t be smart for Gettleman to take a quarterback who doesn’t live up to the No. 2 pick. No shit. But picking a bad player at any other position is no better and neither is passing on a good quarterback.

James led all players with 44 minutes played — none more entertaining than when he was matched up against his old foe, Lance Stephenson.

The Pacers’ backup forward made his stamp on the game by scoring 12 points off the bench in 17 minutes and adding five rebounds, but he was also called for a technical foul for striking James in the head after he was whistled for a common foul for body-checking him.

The team put Kahnle on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis, it announced before Tuesday’s game against the Marlins at Yankee Stadium.

WHAT HAPPENED? An MRI showed the injury, manager Aaron Boone said. The club was still awaiting results on more tests.

Trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes, Boston tied it at 3:06 of the second when McQuaid’s shot from the point squeezed under Andersen’s pad and dribbled in. The goal came moments after Andersen made a stellar glove save from his belly on David Krejci with Nash and Travis Dermott battling in the blue paint.

The Maple Leafs went back ahead 43 seconds later when Marner controlled a pass off the boards from Rielly before feeding Marleau in front.

The Bruins again responded when Chara ripped a shot off Andersen’s mask and in from an impossible angle at 6:19.

Toronto’s Kasperi Kapanen, who hit the post early his team’s ugly 7-3 loss in Game 2, found iron again later in the period on a shot that beat Rask clean, but Matthews would make no mistake later in the period.

Stumbling block: New England started slowly last season, going 2-2 in September before finishing out the regular season on an 11-1 run. Still, the early stumble was almost enough to cost the Patriots’ home-field advantage in the playoffs. Coming out of the gate this year against Houston, Jacksonville and a Detroit squad that’s bound to have some inside intel (given Patricia’s insight) looms as a rough patch.

Noteworthy: The Pats have won the AFC East for nine consecutive seasons and haven’t finished outside first place with Tom Brady at the helm since 2002. Even if the reigning AFC champs struggle for some portion of 2018, finishing with three division games in the final four weeks almost certainly means New England will hit the tape with momentum.

Some of that continuity will be helpful, Stafford said. Obviously change happens in the NFL, it’s almost inevitable. The goal is to play well enough to not have those changes, and obviously we didn’t.

The NFL is the one league where long-term rebuilds aren’t readily acceptable. The Lions actually declared 9-7 unacceptable, and fired Jim Caldwell. By doing so, Quinn confirmed — without saying it — that the Lions are going for it. And frankly, they’re the only team in town in position to go for it, with Stafford the biggest name in his prime.

Cavaliers: James surpassed Michael Jordan (2,188) for the second-most made field goals in playoff history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2,356) tops the list. … James dropped to 48-8 in first-round games. … Green was 0 for 7 from the field, 0 for 3 from the line and the Cavs were outscored by 15 when he was on the floor.

He promised his sons, ages 8 and 10, that he would be there when they played tackle football to make sure they did it safely and correctly, and that time is at hand.

When it came down to it, I couldn’t take another year, 6-8 months, where I’m not there, said Harrison, who lives with his family in Pittsburgh. It just wasn’t worth it.

Not surprisingly, the Steelers did not pursue him as a free agent this year.

Harrison announced his retirement this week. Much has been debated about his legacy with the Steelers, especially after the somewhat ugly divorce at the end of last season, when the Steelers cut him and he signed with the Patriots three days later.

Boston was left fuming after center Riley Nash, who returned to the lineup after suffering an ear laceration on March 31, was ruled to have put the puck directly over the glass for a delay of game penalty with just over three minutes left in the first, even though replays suggested otherwise.

Toronto, which was 1 for 7 with the man advantage through the first two games, made the Bruins pay just 7 seconds later when van Riemsdyk scored his second goal of the series at 17:05 to give the Leafs their first lead of the series.

When it came down to it, I couldn’t take another year, 6-8 months, where I’m not there, he said. It just wasn’t worth it.

Harrison certainly made an impression on Bill Belichick, who gave him a glowing review shortly after he arrived in New England 15 weeks into the 2017 season.

It’s been fun getting to know Jrue this year, Rondo said. He’s a great person, even better person off the court than he is on the court.

Teammates say Holiday is in a good place right now. They know that life was cruel when his wife, Lauren, was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor while she was five months pregnant in June 2016.

Now he has a healthy wife and a healthy daughter named Jrue Tyler Holiday. Everyone calls her J.T.

It’s been great, Davis said of his teammate. All he wants to do is play basketball, and now that everything that was going on with him is squared away and doing fine, he’s just focused on playing, and he’s playing at a high level.

With his family in a good spot, Holiday has been able to focus on his performance on the court.